Board of Directors
Jo Brooks, President
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? We address the region’s most pressing environmental challenges. Everyone on the staff inspires me!
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? We love building coalitions – and we’re really good at it.
Read Jo's bio.
Sandor E. Kaupp, Vice President
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? In the early Coastkeeper years, my wife and I felt the organization needed to thrive in San Diego. We organized educational tours of the beaches and helped restore the Sweetwater and Tijuana marshes.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? It is an organization with a long history of effectively making "shovels turn" on the residual pollution.
Read Sandor's bio.
Harriet Lazer, Vice President & Interim Treasurer
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? It is a place where you can make a difference and constantly learn.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? There is shrinking support from the government and other grant providers. We need local volunteers and funding now to fill in the gaps.
Read Harriet's bio.
Eleanor Musick, Secretary
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper makes a real difference in the cleanliness and safety of San Diego's beaches and bays.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Many organizations rely on Coastkeeper's water quality monitoring to ensure the safety of the residents.
Read Eleanor's bio.
Susie M. Armstrong
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper is driven by people who rely on passion, people skills, technical skills and data to protect San Diego's waterways.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper is highly valued by municipal agencies as a partner, not just as their "watch dog."
Read Susie's bio.
Lee Barken
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper?
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper?
Read Lee’s bio.
Everett DeLano
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper is one of the best at using limited resources to do great and important things.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper is the only organization in San Diego focused solely on protecting one of our city’s most precious resources – its beaches, bays, estuaries, rivers and creeks.
Read Everett’s bio.
Stewart Halpern
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Water is the most fundamental element of life on our planet--protecting it is of the utmost importance to our environment.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper is less talk, more action—using its water quality monitoring and waterkeeper to uncover problems and seek remedies.
Read Stewart’s bio.
Micah Mitrosky
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper ensures a safe San Diego water supply.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? How relentless the staff and volunteers are in their efforts to fulfill San Diego Coastkeeper's mission of fishable, swimmable, drinkable water for all San Diegans.
Read Micah's bio.
Sue Stewart
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Water is probably the most sacred resource we have on Earth.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper works with government agencies, businesses, and the local community to ensure we protect this natural resource in San Diego.
Read Sue's bio.
Gregg Sadowsky
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? It offers me an opportunity to give back to the community in a way that is personally meaningful.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper understands the need to have a viable business community and a healthy environment, so they take small but solid steps to make development and sustainability go hand-in-hand.
Read Gregg's bio.
George Yermanos:
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? Coastkeeper allows me to make a positive contribution towards policies that impact the community, as well as the real estate profession in general.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? Supporting Coastkeeper is a great way to give back to what San Diego has bestowed us—our coastal waters.
Read George’s bio.
Jo is a retired U.S. State Department attorney with a specialty in international environmental law.
As part of her portfolio, Jo handled issues with Mexico arising under NAFTA and its environmental side agreement; treaties regarding trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste; ship recycling and other issues pending before the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee; and Presidential permits for cross-border facilities (e.g., bridges, tunnels, pipelines) to strengthen the protection of U.S. borders. Prior to joining the State Department Legal Adviser’s Office in 1989, she worked as a litigator at the U.S. Department of Justice and before that at the EEOC. In addition to serving on San Diego Coastkeeper’s Board, she also serves as a member of the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission’s San Diego Citizens’ Forum Board and as the representative for the natural environment on the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s Advisory Committee.
Jo first came to California in the 1970s following her graduation from Yale, where she earned a B.A. in economics. After receiving her J.D. from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall, she practiced law in San Francisco for several years before work took her to Washington, DC. She is delighted to be back on the West Coast and actively involved on San Diego Coastkeeper’s Board.
Jo’s commitment to the mission of San Diego Coastkeeper comes naturally as she is a rower who sculls regularly on Mission Bay. Her husband Adrian Kinnane volunteers on the sail crew of the Maritime Museum of San Diego; he is also one of Coastkeeper’s volunteer Watershed Captains.
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Sandor E. Kaupp
Medical Researcher, United States Navy
Since 1998, Sandy has worked as a research analyst with the Navy Refractive Surgery Center, Opthalmology, Naval Medical Center San Diego.
He is a native Southern Californian and a product of California's public education system. He has focused his professional career on aspects of scientific investigations in marine biology and human physiology. He worked for eight years as both a graduate student and staff research associate with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography; and four years as a research scientist in Human Performance Development at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego.
Sandy received his bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his masters of science degree in marine biology from the University of California, San Diego. (Return to top)
Partner and CFO of The Walker Group
Harriet L. Lazer was a founder, partner and CFO of The Walker Group, a human resource consulting firm based in Phoenix, Arizona and later in San Diego.
Prior to that, her career included consulting on human resource management with Brecker & Merryman in New York and serving as Director of Compensation at Computervision.
Originally from New Jersey, she earned a degree from Barnard College. Harriet also studied at Cambridge University, The American School in Athens, Arizona State University and UCSD. In 2011, she completed accounting certification through UCSD. Her local community service has included leadership roles at Del Mar Heights School, San Diego Children’s Choir and the Bishop’s School. She and her husband reside in La Jolla. (Return to top)
Attorney, Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP
Eleanor Musick, an attorney at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP emphasizes in patent prosecution in the areas such as telecommunications, computer software, geophysics and oceanography, trademark and copyright prosecution and intellectual property licensing.
One of the recent patent work includes seafloor electromagnetic measurement techniques for oil exploration developed at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Eleanor graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a bachelor's in physics/earth science and a minor in literature. She obtained her law degree with Scholastic Merit from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. (Return to top)
Susie M. Armstrong
Senior Vice President, Engineering, QUALCOMM, Inc.
Susie, senior vice president, engineering within QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies (QCT), is responsible for the worldwide groups that integrate and commercialize QCT’s products into commercial wireless devices. She and her group work with the internal Qualcomm technology groups and external customers to bring these complex technologies to market in short time frames.
Prior to joining QUALCOMM in 1994, Susie worked for 10 years at the Xerox Systems Development Department and the Xerox Webster Research Center, holding a variety of software engineering positions that focused on data protocols and operating systems, and advanced development in high-speed data networking.
She holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and has done project management coursework at Stanford University. From her native Sierra Nevada home to her adopted home in coastal Southern California, she has had a strong interest in environmental issues. She is an avid outdoors person, enjoying hiking, outrigger canoe paddling and canoeing. (Return to top)
Lee Barken
Energy and cleantech practice leader, Haskell & White, LLP.
Lee is the energy and cleantech practice leader at Haskell & White, LLP, one of the largest independently owned accounting and business advisory firms in Southern California.
He specializes in renewable energy project finance, public policy analysis, and environmental commodities consulting. A CPA and LEED accredited professional, Barken is also an active member of the boards of CleanTECH San Diego and the San Diego Venture Group and serves as treasurer on the board of directors at the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
Lee holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from SDSU where he graduated with honors and is also a member of the Corporate Director’s Forum, the Urban Land Institute, the Association for Corporate Growth, and the US Green Chamber of Commerce. He resides in Chula Vista. (Return to top)
Everett L. DeLano III
Attorney, DeLano & DeLano
Everett is an attorney who specializes in land use and environmental law, with a commitment to preserving and protecting communities and the natural environment.
With expertise encompassing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Clean Water Act, Everett represents homeowners’ associations, non-profit organizations, and neighborhood groups and individuals. Earlier in his career, he worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council in Los Angeles, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund in Denver, and the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado.
Everett graduated with a degree in Political Science from the University of San Diego in 1989. He attended law school at USC, where he served on the Interdisciplinary Law Journal and Major Tax Journal, served as an extern to the Honorable Dorothy W. Nelson of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and was the sole recipient of the U.S. Law Week Award. Everett lives in Valley Center and his firm, DeLano & DeLano, is based in Escondido. (Return to top)
Stewart Halpern
Senior Advisor, Roovy
Stewart has a broad business background with over 30 years of experience as the senior financial executive of companies such as San Diego-based Mad Catz Interactive, videogame publisher Rock Star Games, and entertainment entrepreneur Russell Simmons’ Rush Communications, along with extensive Wall Street experience as a sell side equity analyst and investment banker.
Since stepping down as CFO from Mad Catz in late 2010, he has been independently advising a number of private companies on strategic, financial and operational matters while also serving as the treasurer on the board of Free Flight, a nonprofit exotic bird sanctuary in Del Mar.
Stewart earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Yale College and a Master's degree from the Yale School of Management. He currently resides in La Jolla. (Return to top)
Megan Lim
Development Director, San Diego Public Library Foundation
Megan has nearly a decade of nonprofit experience and is the development director at the San Diego Public Library Foundation.
Prior, she served as the capital campaign manager for Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial Council, where she worked alongside the organization's leadership to successfully complete a $5.5 million capital campaign. Megan's work experience also includes fund development and environmental science for a Boston-based nonprofit. Actively involved in several community organizations, Megan is currently the vice-chair of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) San Diego chapter, founding member of Women Give San Diego, board member of the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN), board member of San Diego Coastkeeper, member of Run Women Run, advisory board member of the New Leaders Council (NLC) San Diego chapter, past board member for the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and an active member of the Junior League of San Diego. As a volunteer with her alma mater, she conducts admissions interviews, leads the Bowdoin Club of San Diego, co-chaired her 5th reunion, and served one four-year term on the Alumni Council. Megan Lim has been recognized as an AFP Chamberlain Scholar and one of "35 under 35" San Diego community leaders by the San Diego News Network.
Megan began her fund development career working in the development department of Bowdoin College in Maine, where she graduated with honors with her B.A. in geology and environmental studies. (Return to top)
Micah Mitrosky
Environmental Organizer, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569
In her role as an environmental organizer with IBEW Local 569, Micah works to ensure San Diego and Imperial County’s green economy creates good, middle-class jobs that are sustainable for local workers and for the environment. She is also engaging environmental partners to build blue-green alliances around climate change, clean air and water and other environmental issues affecting working people.
Prior to joining IBEW Local 569, Micah was a conservation organizer for the Sierra Club’s San Diego Smart Energy Solutions campaign. An east coast transplant and now a resident of Pacific Beach, Micah has spent a lifetime enjoying the ocean and beaches of both coasts.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University and a master’s in sociology from San Diego State University. (Return to top)
Sue recently retired from the U.S. Navy after serving almost 24 years as a Judge Advocate (JAG) attorney. During her time in the Navy, Sue earned an L.L.M. in Environmental Law from George Washington University School of Law and specialized in administrative law, criminal and civil litigation and environmental law. Sue is also an alumni of the University of Alabama School of Law and the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism. She is also currently studying for her Masters in Public Administration at National University.
Sue's practice in the Navy included serving as the Commanding Officer, Naval Legal Service Office Southwest; General Counsel for Commander Naval Air Forces, San Diego, CA; Executive Director of the Naval Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island; Secretary of Defense's Assistant Representative for Ocean Policy Affairs and delegate to the International Maritime Organization; and Region Environmental Counsel for the Southeast Region, Jacksonville, Florida.
Although the Navy assigned Sue in locations world-wide, Sue's first tour of duty as a Lieutenant was in San Diego, and she returned to the area in 2007 after completing a tour in Iraq. Sue is excited to make San Diego her permanent home. She enjoys sweep rowing regularly on Mission Bay and loves hiking the plentiful trails in San Diego county. (Return to top)
Gregg Sadowsky
Senior Vice President and Senior Market Officer, Regency Centers Corporation
Gregg Sadowsky is a senior vice president and senior market officer of Regency Centers, a nationwide real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in grocery-anchored shopping centers and whose innovative sustainability practices significantly reduce the use of natural resources and increase operating efficiency.
He oversees the asset management, property management, leasing and development for 45 properties totaling over 6.7 million square feet in Southern California and Nevada.
Gregg, a 28-year veteran in the real estate/retail business, holds a Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Florida, a Senior Certified Leasing Specialist designation (SCLS) from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and is a member of various industry committees. (Return to top)
George Yermanos
Vice President and Director of Property Management, Sudberry Properties
George is the vice president and director of property management for Sudberry Properties, a San Diego based real estate development and asset management firm that emphasizes long-term environmental sustainability in its properties and practices.
George oversees a retail portfolio of approximately 2.5 million square feet. A certified shopping center manager (CSM) and former chairperson of the International Council of Shopping Centers, San Diego, he has 25 years of experience focused on retail and office construction and management in the San Diego region.
George holds a Bachelor of Science from UCLA, and a M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. He is a resident of Encinitas. (Return to top)
